An identified terrorist expert bomber who fought security forces but fled at the height of fierce fighting between security forces and Islamic State-inspired Maute Group and Abu Sayyaf Group in the Marawi City siege was killed after he resisted arrest Monday, the military said.
Maj. Ezra Balagtey, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, identified the slain terrorist as Najib Calimba Pundog, alias Najib Hussein, a hard core member of the Maute group.
Balagtey said Pundog was killed after he resisted arrest while a warrant of arrest was being served on him by policemen and army troops at Zone 3, Block 5, Barangay Fatima, General Santos at about 2:15 am.
An interagency group composed of personnel from the Joint Task Force GenSan and Regional Mobile Force and PNP-12 was serving a warrant issued by Judicial Branch 11 in Malabang, Lanao del Sur for serious detention and kidnapping when Pundog resisted, prompting authorities to fight back, killing the terrorist on the spot.
During the armed scuffle, a member of the RMF was wounded and was rushed to a hospital in General Santos City.
The arresting team recovered a Glock pistol and a hand grenade from the slain man.
Reports said Pundog was a bomb expert who engaged security forces during the five months battle for the liberation of Marawi City after a thousand terrorists laid siege in the Islamic City in May 2017.
Marawi City was freed from the terrorists after ground troops made a final push at the last bastion of the terrorist led by then ASG chieftain and ISIS Emir in Southeast Asia, Isnilon Hapilon and his counter part, Abdullah Maute, the leader of the Maute group.
At break of dawn, the same lawmen arrested a fugitive wife of the new Maute leader Abu Dar at her safehouse in General Santos City.
Balagtey identified the wife of Abu Adar as Nafisa Pundog, a fugitive who escaped from Marawi City Jail in 2016.
Pundog had a standing warrant for illegal possession of blasting cap/incendiary device at her hideout in Purok Maunlad, Barangay Apopong, General Santos City.
